Game Fishing Equipment - What do you use?

[ChrisAbout]

With the tuna season taking over the fishing scene here in VIC (and since I've become pretty addicted to it myself ) I wanted to see what everyone else keeps on their boat in terms of basic/advanced gear for tuna fishing. My gear is pretty cheap so I am looking at upgrading before my next trip out.

The obvious game reel/rod combo goes without saying, but what about things like gaffs, belts, harnesses, chairs even.

At the moment in my boat I keep:

1x basic penn gimbal belt
1x 1m cheap BCF gaff with aluminium handle

I am about to convert this cheap gaff to a longer S/S one by using some leftover S/S bars from the bimini built and the welder.
I also noticed some places sell gaff hooks with handles, and some with ropes attached to them.

On Tuesday I am getting my BlackMagic harness/belt kit too - so hopefully that will be easier on my hands to a fight fish.

Anyway just wanted to see what you guys use for tuna equipment.

[CarlG]

Our first trip down next weekend (hopefully).
We've started from scratch, game gear wise, so this thread will be pretty interesting for myself as well.
We're starting off with a mix of tld 25's, 30's and a recently bought tiagra 50, (tackleworld sale just at the right time lol), to run the shotgun lure.
Lures, a mix of xrap mags, richter skirts, (soft grassy's and a couple of others), plus a few odd other makes.
We're gonna be using a standard mid sized gaff, plus the big flying gaff if things get serious.
Fairly bog-standard gimbal belt, (proper harness is next on the shopping list).
Will also be the first time using outriggers, so it's gonna be a big, big learning curve...

[scott__henning]

you want 2 heavy duty gaffs to haul in a barrel. 1 long one and one short one, minimum

I straightened one of my gaffs last season doing just that.

[ChrisAbout]

Thanks scott, so was your previous gaff made out of stainless steel and you are currently using cast stainless steel?

Hookem makes a variety of gaffs and meat hooks, some fixed, some detach and some FLYING?!?

http://www.hookem.com.au/assets/images/ ... 202017.pdf

[Brett]

So does Frank, at Busted.

http://www.bustedfishing.com/#!/Gaffs-A ... ort=normal

[ChrisAbout]

What does Frank at Busted?

[scott__henning]

Thanks scott, so was your previous gaff made out of stainless steel and you are currently using cast stainless steel?

Hookem makes a variety of gaffs and meat hooks, some fixed, some detach and some FLYING?!?

http://www.hookem.com.au/assets/images/ ... 202017.pdf

Yeah I've got a gaff and meat hook. I personally don't like the idea of a flying gaff, much easier to control a tuna with his head out of the water.

[smile0784]

Gear wise i run
1x tld 30 with 50lb braid on 24kg rods and
trolling triton 30 with 60 lb braid and
tld 25 on 15kg rod.
Have 2 tld 50tld but havent had them out yet.

Tackle wise have about 30 skirted lures, 5 xraps, gimble belt with kydney harness, 1 x stainless steel fixed gaff with 2 other back ups and then the flying gaff.

[ducky]

We run a spread of 3 tld 50's and a tiagra 50wlrs and a tiagra 30wlrs. All on 6 foot stroker rods or thereabouts.

Suggest a black magic equaliser kit for the gimbal.

Also suggest a decent full size gaff and a good quality lipping gaff to handle the schoolies. Not necessarily the one I've linked but that angle head works well imo.

http://www.rayannes.com.au/online-store ... ing-gaffs/

[smile0784]

Do people use big eskis to put there tune in while fishing or big chiller bags?
Just talking about skoolies?

I know the barrels wont fit anywhere except the deck lol